Tuesdays with Shirley

I have no doubt that on the night of February 8th, there was thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the angels and elders in heaven when the Angel Gabriel called Shirley Simpson to “places” in heaven and the curtain came down on earth, in peace, on a life well lived.

When Shirley’s daughters honored me by asking me to present Act One, Scene One of her celebration of life, my heart and mind were flooded with scene by scene of wonderful memories. You see, Shirley and I had lunch together on Tuesdays, practically every Tuesday since 2018. I always found it a little amusing that there is a book that was adapted into a play called “Tuesdays with Morrie.” I had my Tuesdays with Shirley, and even my wife and staff knew that on Tuesdays I had a very important appointment with a very special person.

During our lunches, three themes rose to the surface as the most important to Shirley, and we connected on all of them. She loved and adored her husband and her girls, her faith was important to her, and, of course, we connected on our love for the life changing art, wonder, and magic of theatre and the stage.

Our first lunches back in 2018 were filled with stories of her life with Chuck who had passed earlier that year. I walked with her through the pain and immense grief of losing a friend and partner of 65 years. That grief was conquered through the sharing of beautiful stories of Chuck. She shared how he would patiently wait for her to greet her fans after productions at New Stage Theatre in Jackson, Mississippi or her one woman shows. Chuck's support of her theatrical adventures was clearly one of the ways he loved her and she reveled in that love.

Shirley’s faith and family were topics at lunch quite often. She shared some stories of working with the Billy Graham Organization. I would hear about the preparation for a sermon and the evaluation of how that sermon was presented and received. I was honored to hear stories of how proud she was of her girls: Taylor, Cathy, Christine, and Caren - she was so proud of each of them and knew how much they
loved her.

Shirley told me stories of her dear sister Bonnie. As children, Shirley would say, “Let’s Pike”… that’s “play like” - (pretend play). “Pike,” where she was clearly the director in the performances Bonnie and Shirley would do as children. I heard so many stories of stage, radio, and TV during our lunches. Stories of being an Actress, Director, Product Spokesperson, Radio Host and more. We connected so well because she personally knew every challenge I faced in theatre. Often I would remind her that, outside of my wife, she was the only other person in my life who could truly understand the joys and challenges I faced at the theatre. She understood the world of an actor, she had sat in the seat of a director, and she and Chuck had been supporters of theatre. She knew this world so well.

Some of her favorite roles included Queen Eleanor in The Lion in Winter, Shirley in Shirley Valentine, and Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy. I would hear amazing stories of the process of the actress preparing for these roles and some of the victories and challenges of performances.

Shirley mesmerized audiences with performances of her one woman shows: Katherine Hepburn, Shirley Valentine, Minnie Pearl, and so many more. Her final public performance was on the ECTC stage as Minnie Pearl. After Chuck's passing, she regained her footing on stage here with Katherine Hepburn. She was concerned about a staged reading as she was very proud of the memory she had and we convinced her that it would be fine, her audience would embrace the tool of the script… and that they did. As she took the chair to read you could literally see the consummate professional transforming into character, every voice inflection, every look, every gesture told the story… you could not take your eyes off her. Shirley and I talked about it and she decided to tackle Shirley Valentine next. Again, a captivating performance but this time the artist in Shirley was able to breathe into the confidence that was gained with the Katherine Hepburn performance. She came off stage with such joy and life. At the next lunch, she told me that someone had stopped her in Publix and reprimanded her for not coming back out. The audience had been giving her a standing ovation and this person was disappointed that she did not return to the stage for another bow. What they didn’t know was that Shirley and I were too busy celebrating her performance backstage! It was like a new life had been given to her, and she had such joy in performing again.

One lunch Shirley chuckled as I sat down and let me know that the night before, a waiter at Vintj Food and Wine had asked her if her son was joining her today. She said, “I don’t have a son.” The waiter replied, “What about that bald guy you always have lunch with?!”

I could go on and on about Shirley’s wit, creativity, passion for life, and more. How our lunches were a welcome break that we both looked forward to. How theatre brought two people together and set the stage for a beautiful friendship. How her passion for life and theatre encouraged and inspired me every time I had the pleasure of being around her. But… I know she would also say, “Nathanael, a good play has great edits!” So, I’ll end by sharing this. At the last few lunches we had together, Shirley would recognize that our time together might be limited and I would tell her I didn’t want to talk about it. She would respond, “Nathanael, I’ve had a good run. Look at my life, I’ve had a great run of it.”

Yes, Shirley, you have had a great run. I and those who got to be a part of your narrative, who had the honor of being a character in the play of your life, are better for it. You were a gift; an elegant, charming, quick witted gift, that we will always treasure. So, without the expectation of another bow Shirley, I give you an eternal standing ovation in my heart.

Nathanael

Shirley’s Obituary: https://www.thedestinlog.com/obituaries/psar1086857